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Justice News

“Dino the Casino” Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Operating Illegal Gambling Business from Bakersfield to Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nive Hagay, 31, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conducting an illegal gambling business and distributing cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between 2008 and November 2016, Hagay, who also went by the name “Dino the Casino,” placed video slot machines in small businesses from Bakersfield to Sacramento. Hagay then laundered the proceeds from the illegal gambling business through clothing companies in Los Angeles, as well as by making large purchases with the cash proceeds, such as a $202,000 cash transaction for a 2014 Audi R8.

On October 15, 2016, at a smoke shop in Sacramento, Hagay sold approximately one ounce of a mixture that tested positively for cocaine.

In addition to the sentence imposed, Hagay forfeited various assets acquired with cash from the illegal gambling business, including a 2010 Aston Martin Rapide, a 2016 Mercedes Benz AMG GT, several Ducati motorcycles, and hundreds of thousands of dollars seized from his home, the illegal slot machines, and various bank accounts.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Yelovich and Justin L. Lee prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Khasigian handled the forfeiture.